1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to handheld projectors and, more particularly, to techniques for controlling objects in an image projected onto a surface from a handheld projector based on hidden markers within the surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the last decade, image projection systems have been developed that are small enough to fit comfortably within a person's hand. Such handheld projectors (sometimes referred to as pocket projectors or mobile projectors or pico projectors) provide an image projector as a handheld device, and handheld projection systems can project images onto any nearby viewing surface, such as a wall.
Additionally, a handheld projector can be connected to (or integrated with) other portable devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and digital cameras. Handheld multimedia devices have evolved to provide sophisticated computing platforms, complete with large display areas, touch, sensitive surfaces and cameras, among other components. Further, the computing power of these devices has steadily increased; allowing sophisticated computing applications to be executed from the palm of one's hand. For example, handheld devices now frequently include computing hardware capable of rendering 3D graphics images in real time, and a variety of rendering applications are available for handheld devices. Handheld projectors can be connected to (or integrated with) these types of portable devices. When combined with (or connected to a computing system) a handheld projector can project any image generated by the computing system onto a viewing surface.
However, one of the major challenges when dealing with handheld projectors has been to develop interaction techniques that accommodate movement. Projected imagery moves, shakes, and distorts with every move of the user's hand, and a variety of approaches have been used to attempt to mitigate the effects of projector movement.